Fly North, Dam of Champion Farda Amiga, Dead

Fly North, dam of champion filly Farda Amiga, was euthanized July 11 because of complications from arthritis in her left front stifle.

Fly North, dam of champion filly Farda Amiga, was euthanized July 11 because of complications from arthritis. The 14-year-old daughter of Pleasant Colony was owned by Virginia Kraft Payson and resided at Payson Stud near Lexington.

Fly North, who raced as a homebred for Payson, descended from Payson's foundation mare Northern Sunset. Kentucky Broodmare of the Year in 1995, Northern Sunset was the dam of European champion St. Jovite and graded stakes winners L'Carriere, Lac Ouimet, and Salem Drive.

Farda Amiga, the second foal from Fly North, was a runaway winner in Eclipse Award balloting for 3-year-old filly of 2002. Racing for a partnership in the name of Old Friends, the daughter of Broad Brush won the Kentucky Oaks (gr. I) and Alabama Stakes (gr. I) and ran second to subsequent Horse of the Year Azeri in the Breeders' Cup Distaff (gr. I).

Now a broodmare, Farda Amiga has produced four foals, including a Storm Cat filly foaled April 7. The filly was bred in the name of Old Friends, Winner Silk, and Ashford Stud.

Fly North, a granddaughter of Northern Sunset, won the 1995 Ontario Debutante Stakes at For Erie and ran second in a division of that year's Natalma Stakes on grass. Trained by Roger Attfield, she retired with three wins from eight races and earnings of $114,027.

Fly North, who was produced from the Temperence Hill mare Dry North, produced six named foals, four of which are winners, including stakes-placed Wingover. Her other foals are a Fusaichi Pegasus yearling filly and a 2007 Giant's Causeway colt. She was in foal to Fusaichi Pegasus at the time of her death.